Toy pool table



H; J; BRINKMAN TQY POOL TABLE Filed, June 20, 192? 2 Shqets-Shefl 1 Jan. 17,1926. 1,656,416

H. J. BRINKMAN TOY POOL TABLE Filed Juhe 20, 1927 2 Shays-sheet 2 vided with medially Patented Jan. 17, 1928.

HARRY J. BBINKMAN ,or narrow, 'OHIQ.

TOY POOL Application filed, June 20, 1827. Serial K0. 189,9 1}.

My invention relates to toy game tables, carom and crokinole boards and the like, and more particularly to such a. toy table or board constructed from sheet metal. For illustrative purposes the invention is shown embodied in a toy pool table. While it is recognized that toy pool tables have heretoi'ore beenmanutactured from sheet metal the operations of manufacture and assembly have been expensive and the resulting structures have not always been stable,.rigid and durable. f

In the present construction the sheet metal top of the table is braced and stiffened to prevent buckling by means of an inclined runway for balls which attached. to the under side of the table top in inwardly spaced relatlon with The table is provided with sheet metal stamped legs at its corners, which are connected with the table top. They are prodisposed spaced grooved recesses at different heights for the engagement of the ball runway in the uppermost of such grooved recesses at diiierent heights for the engagement of the ball runway in the uppermost one end of the the recesses in the legsfat the opposite en table and in the lowermost of a the table. The table top is provided with a reversed upstanding marginal flange which is bowedoutwardlyto form bays'coincident with the corner and openings for balls provided in the tabletop. The utilizationof the ballrunway which is formed from sheet material upwardly flanged at both its inner and outer margins connects the table top "to the legs at diilerent points and rigidly supports the central portion of the table top against vibration or buckling and atforclsnpon the whole a strong durable and unyielding s ructure. 1 The object of the invention is to simplify the structure as well as the means and mode of assembly of toy. pool and billiard. tables and the like, whereby they will not only be cheapened in construction eflicient inuse, more rigid, sturdy and durable, capable :of being economically constructed and unlikely to get out of repair.

A turther ogb'ect. of the inventionis to provide improved means for bracingland stiffening the sheet metal top of such table.

to eliminate-vibration and buckling. a

A further ObJect of theinvention is to pr! for such table and to provide means operation, or their e. after described the marginal edges.

of such grooved recesses at V and stiffens the table d of side pockets or deposit but will be more th s gins of the though not necessarily,

vide an improved form of ball runway for returning balls deposited through the re ceiving openings or pockets. i

A further object of the invention is to provide an improved form of si pportiniglegs or 1nterengaging the ball runway with such legs in s aced relation with the table top.

i iththe above primary and other incidental objects in view as W1ll more fully ape sists of the features parts and combinations thereof, the mode of uivalents, as hereinand set forth in the claims.

R ferring to the accompanying drawing wherein is shownthe preferred but obvious- 1y not necessarily the only form of embodiment of the invention, Fig. 1 is a perspective view of the assembled toy game table forming the subject matter hereof. Fig. 2 is a transverse sectional view on1ine2 2ofFig 1. Fig.3 is a sectional viewupon adiagonal line 3- 3 through the corner of thetable and supporting leg. Fig. 4 is a bottom plan ,view illustrating the proportions and rela tion 0f the ball return way which also braces top. Fig. view showing a modification wherein the runwayis disconnected from the legs. Fig, 6 is a sectional View on line 6-6 of Fig. 5.

Like parts are indicated by similar characters of reference throughout the several views: I 1 Referring tothe accompanying drawing, 1 is the top of the game table, which in the present instance is illustratedas a pool table. This top is formed from sheet material, preferably sheet metal, although fiber or composition may be used. The top 1 is provided with an upstanding marginal flange of substantially inverted U shape, which forms the rail of the pool board. The top 1 is provided with pocket openings 3.111; the corners and also at length points. The upstanding marginal flange or rail 2 of the top is bowed outwardly coincidentlwith the'holesor pockets forming bays defining the outer mar holes or pockets. The top surface otthe game table .top is preferably, covered withua felt an in imitation of a regulation pool and a billiardtable. V

: Th tap is s pp rte a w nners by :pear in the specification the invention conof constructwmthe 5-is a detail or billiard table or carom v legs 4. These legs are also formed from ill sheet material. They are of substantially channel shape or semi-circular and taper downwardly. Adjacent to the upper ends the legs at are provided with laterally projecting wings 5 which extend in substantially right angle relation with each other. The topmargins of the wings 5 and the upper end of the main leg portions 4 are seated within the recess formed by the inverted U shaped upstanding marginal flange 2 of the table top. The legs are secured to the top preferably by soldering or spot welding.

owever, other means of attachment may be employed. The supporting legs 4 of the table 1 are provided at mid-height points with horizontally disposed spaced concavoconvex beads or ribs 6. These beads or ribs 6 afford upon the interior of the channel shaped legs 41- spaced grooved depressions at difl'erent heights. The transverse beads or ribs 6 not only serve to stiffen and strengthen the supporting legs and give to them a massive appearance in simulation of the legs of a regulation pool or billiard table, but the interior spacer grooved recesses constitute sockets to receive the margins of the inclined ball race or runway located beneath the table top.

Sheet metal table tops such not braced or stiffened are quite subject to vibration and to buckling and do not afford the necessary rigid surface for proper play of the balls thereover. In the present instance there is provided beneath the table top 1 an inclined return way for balls deposited through the openings or pockets 3 which also has the additional function of racing and stiffening the table top. This runway or receiver for deposited balls is also formed from sheet material.

The central portion of a sheet of material 1s removed and the margins of such central opening are upturned to substantially perpendicular relation with the plane of the sheet as shown at 8. This sub-structure forming the runway or return way for balls thus comprises a substantially rectangular frame having integral upstanding flanges 8 at its inner margins. These flanges are attached to the under side of the table top 1 on lines spaced inwardly from and substantially parallel with the margins thereof. The lateral gutter like portions 9 of such sub-structure are provided with upstanding marginal flanges 10 of substantially inverted U shape. The rectangularframe like substructure forming the runway or return way for balls is of substantially the same proportions as the tabletop l. The upstanding innermost flanges 8 which are of as the top 1 much greater height than the outer marginal flanges 10 are tapered, or are of less height at one end than at the other, and are secured to the underside of the table top by yond the soldering. welding, brazing or similar means. The marginal flanges 10 of the substructure seat within the uppermost of the grooved recesses afforded by the concave beads or ribs 6 of the legs at one end of the to the underside of the'table top but is also a secured to the legs within such grooved recesses by being welded or soldered. Thus the central portion of the table top is connected to the supporting legs at mid-height points by such substructure or ball runway. The upstanding flanges of the runway being secured in both longitudinal and transverse positions relative to the table top 1 serve to rigidly support the top against vibration and buckling.

lVhile the invention has been illustrated in the form of a toy pool table it is to be understood that it may be made with equal sides and with pockets or openings 3 at the corners only in which case it may be employed as a carom or crokinole board. While the runway or gutters for receiv-' ing the balls are preferably connected di rcctly with the supporting legs by being seated in the corrugations or grooved rccesses 6 it is not at all essential that they be so connected. It is foundin the manufacture that the support of the runway or gutters upon the under side of the table top is amply sufiicient and that such runway or ball gutter may terminate in spaced relation with the supporting legs 4; as shown in Figs. and 6. In these figures the runway is shown wholly detached from the legs which are sufficiently braced by the attachment of their wing portions 5 with the table top.

At one end of the table the runway or ball gutter is depressed as at 11 to collect the balls conveniently for removal. The dc pression of the gutter affords ample space between the table top and the runway for the insertion of the players fingers. It is to be noted, however, that this collecting portion of the runway does not protrude betable top but is contained wholly beneath such top. It is found that by making the gutters 9 of transt ersely arcuate form the runway is greatly strengthened and stiffened and the balls are returned more quickly and directly end of the runway than if flat.

By omitting the holes or pockets 3 and providing strips of rubber or felt upon the to the depressed such runway was l Ill) employed for a billiard tabla While the invention is illustrated as a lation of pool balls.

inner side of the upstanding marginal flanges 2, the same general structure may be toy pool table it is to be understood that it is not limited to such uscbut that the term pool table as herein employed is to be understood as including the features of a billiard table or a carom or crokinole board. In the event that the pockets or openings are not employed the substructure performs the function, of bracing and stiiiening the table, without however, serving as a return way for balls. i While any sort of cue stick or impeller maybe employed, a spring actuated one such as disclosed in my copending application Serial No. 199,947 filed of even date hero-' with is preferably employed in propelling marbles about the top- 1 of the table in simu In the event that the deposit holes or pocket 3 are not employed, such marbles may be employed as billiard ba l-ls.

From the above description it will be apparent that there is thus provided a device of the Character described. possessing the particular features of advantage before enuinera ted as desirable, but which obviously is susceptible of modification in its form, proportions, detail construction and arrangement of parts without departing from the principle involved or sacrificing any of its advantages.

While in order to comply with the statute the invention has been described in language more or less specific as to structural features, it is to be understood that the invention is not limited to the specific details shown, but that the means and construction herein disclosed comprises the preferred form of several modes of putting the invention into clfect, and the invention is therefore claimed in any of its forms or modifications within the legitimate and valid scope of. the ap pended claims.

Having thus described my invention, I

claim 1. In a toy pool table, or the like. a table top having pocket openings therein, supporting legs attached to said top having in their inner faces grooved recesses and an inclined runway for balls deposited through through the pocket openings attachedto the under side of the sheet material table top at points spaced inwardly from the margins thereof to stiffen said sheet material top against buckling.

, 4. In a toy pool table, or the like, a top formed from sheet material and having pocket openings therein for the deposit of balls, supporting legs therefor, and substantially J shaped runways for balls deposited through said openings, having their upstanding sides attached to the. under side" of the sheet material table top in inwardly .spaced relation with the margins thereof and having their lateral bottom portions attarched to said supporting legs.

5. In a toy pool table, or the like, a table 1 I top having pocket openings for the deposit of balls, supporting legs therefor, and runway-s forrleposited balls comprising a rectangular frame formed from sheet material, the inner margins of the rectangular frame being upturned and attached to the under side of the table top in inwardly spaced relation with thcmargins thereof. a

6. In a toy pool table, or the like, a table top having pocket openings for the deposit of balls, supporting legs therefor, andrunways for deposited balls comprlsing a section of sheet material having its central ;portion removed and a series of upturned integral tongues formed contiguous to the open central portion and secured to the under side of the table top in inwardly spaced relation with the margins thereof.

7 A toy pool table, or the like, including a table topformed from sheet material, an upstanding integral marginal flange bounds ng said table top. said top having pocket openings therein at spaced intervals and contiguous to said integral marginal flange, said flange being deflected outwardly coincident with said openings, and supporting legs for said table top.

8. A top for a toy pool table con'iprising a single piece of sheet material formed into a substantially rectangular pan like structure, and having holes at spaced intervals, the upstanding sides of the pan like struw ture being projected outwardly to form arc uate bays defining the outer margins of said holes.

9. A leg for a toy pool table formed from sheet material and comprising a substantially channel shaped body having at midheight points spaced substantially horizontally disposed grooved recesses in the inner face of the channel shaped body.

10. In a toy pool table, or the like, a table top formed from sheet material and havin an inte ral upstanding reversed margina flange, orming a substantially rectangular portions projcctino therefrom in substantial- V ly right angle relation to each other, said channel shaped body beingtransversely corrugated at a midlength point.

12. A toy pool table comprising a top formed from sheet material having an upstanding integral marginal flange and having holes contiguous to said flange for the deposit of balls, the llange being deflected outwardly about said holes, channel shaped supporting legs formed from sheet material located at the corners oi": said top and engaged with the upstanding marginal flanges thereof, said legs being transversely recessed at difi'erent heights, and runways for deposited balls secured to the under side of the sheet material top to stilien same against buckling, and also having engagement in the t 'ansverse recesses at diii'erent heights in the supporting legs at opposite ends of the table to support the runways in inclined position beneath the table top.

13. In a toy pool table, or the like, a table top formed from sheet metal having an integral upstanding reversed. marginal flange forming a substantially rectangular pan like structure and having openings therein at spaced intervals, supporting legs attached to said table top, and a rectangular frame like runway for balls deposited through the openings located in inclined spaced relation beneath the table top and attached to the under side thereof in spaced relation with the margins of the table to stiffen said sheet v metal top.

structure and having openings therein at wholly beneath the table top.

halls deposited through the openings extending in parallel relation adjacent to opposite sides of the table and transversely across one end thereof, said transverse portion of the runway being medially depressed to facilitate removal of the balls but contained In a toy pool table, a table top having marginal flanges and spaced openings through which balls are deposited, support- 5 ug legs for said top and an inclined runway locatec beneath said top to receive the balls and direct same toward one end of the table, said runway having therein a depression atits lower end in which the balls are collected, said runway including said depressed ball collecting portion being confined entirely beneath the table top.

In a toy pool table, a table top having marginal flanges and spaced openings through which balls are deposited, supporting legs for said top, and inclined gutters of arcuate transverse contour located beneath the said table top and at the inner sides of said legs to receive balls deposited through the openings.

17. In a toy pool table, atable top having iarginal flanges and spaced openings through vhica halls are deposited, supporting legs for said top, and inclined gutters of arcuate transverse contour located beneath the said table top and at the inner sides of said legs to receive balls deposited through the openings, said gutters being attached to said legs in spaced relation with the table top and also attached to the under side of the table top in inwardly spaced relation with the margins thereof to stiffen said top.

18. A runway for a toy pool table com prising parallel transversely interconnected gutters of arcuate transverse contour forming a substantially rectangular frame like structure and outwardly extending arcuate bays formed at the ends and intermediate points of said gutters for registry with deposit openings in the top of a table with which the runway is to be employed.

In testimony whereof, I have hereunto set my hand this 21st day of May, A. D1927.

HARRY J. BRINKMA N. 

